Perhaps OP was not speaking of value in terms of size.
Most of the people on earth do not know me personally. I am loved and valued by those I love and value, including my Maker, and that is enough for me. The fact that I am but one of billions of people, and that my planet is but one of billions, does not diminish my significance in the grand scheme, nor does it exaggerate my significance. I was created and have consciousness and free will, and that means I am important to my Lord, and that my thoughts and actions have meaning.
Fair enough, as long as you don’t believe you are more important or of more significance than me and any other human being.
What is your basis of your “truth” and “obvious” about the Church? Did you speak or communicate with the relevant Church personnel on this topic? What did they say to you?
Actually you are right. The Church is examining this issue (apparently they even have a observatory watching for possible alien life), but they have not declared their position in public. Perhaps the new Pope will change that.
Our new pope will not make any public definitive statements about the possibility of sentient life on other planets because it is not a matter of faith or morals. He may have personal opinions about it, as may any Catholic, but it is not a matter of concern for the Church since it is not part of divine revelation.
And frankly, this is simply speculation not fact. All the factors that came into play to make our planet a place where life could flourish may be rarer than we think. Until we actually go to another planet with life on it, we cannot possibly know for certain.
What would have to change? Truth is truth. No Catholic has any reason to think it would change who Christ is or who we are. None whatsoever.
If what they had to tell us was truly part of divine revelation and the truth, then we should accept it because it would be true–not because it came from the mouth of an alien vs. one of us.
Speaking in terms of pure relativism, the largest body or group can be no more significant or insignificant than the smallest or least. A good friend who studies both astronomy and contemporary physics finds them unified in his faith in the God who attends to the tiniest detail of the least known.
Also, it's human beings in collaboration with others who've made the discoveries about the number of galaxies and the size of the universe -- even a set of limited minds here on earth can conceptualize the cosmos, even if not every detail in the cosmos. Our minds are receptive to immensity because the intellect is made to receive the beatific vision of the infinite God who made it all.I certainly agree with what you wrote about the size of the universe imposing limits on traveling between star systems. It would be quite daunting to do so–the energy required would be astronomical besides traveling at light speed too dangerous for flesh and bone life forms.
How would this affect the fine tuning argument that some Christians use for evidence of God? After all, if the universe is that large, it would seem inevitable that a planet would exist that can support life.
The problem is two-fold. Firstly there is no evidence for life anywhere else–not even within our own solar system. And secondly, there’s the “Goldielocks principle” that states a planet must be in the right place in its orbit around its sun, its sun must the right kind, and every other condition necessary for life has to be present or it’s no go. We have no idea how many, if any, other planets in other solar systems meet all the criteria necessary for sustaining life. On top of all this, it is up to God whether or not he wishes a planet to have life, especially sentient life. For we are not merely a product of evolution, but a special creation, made in the image and likeness of God.This has got me thinking.
Very well said.
Reportedly Carl Sagan stated his belief in God before he died.
He died stating clearly that he didn’t believe in God as we think of him. Rather, he may have believed in a Higher Intelligence who may have started the process that created the cosmos, but that’s as far as Sagan would go. But even that’s something, yes? For all we know Our Lord might be showing Sagan things he would never have dreamed possible when he was on earth. Sagan did believe in a savior, but for him it would be an extraterrestrial with greater scientific knowledge that humanity. Now that really takes faith considering we have zero evidence for other life in the universe, let alone intelligent life. So Sagan was a “man of faith” but not in Christ, whom he thought a “good man” but not the Son of God. He’s no doubt been reeducated on that matter, dear man, by the Lord of Mercy. Let us pray for his soul–and for all our souls.
It was difficult to tell whether he was more critical of God or of people who attributed everything to Him.